Spanish soccer star Andres Iniesta will leave Vissel Kobe in the summer, the J.League team announced Thursday.
His final game will be the July 1 matchup against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo.
"I had imagined that my retirement would happen here, but things sometimes don't go as you hope," Iniesta, 39, said at a press conference in Kobe. "I have the desire to continue my time on the pitch."
He also voiced his intentions to seek a new club.
"Coming to Kobe was one of the best decisions of my life. I want to move forward in supporting the club in a different style and angle," Iniesta said.
Iniesta has seen his playing time reduced this season with Kobe in the final year of his contract.
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